San Joaquin River

MSS Salinity Point Source and Ion Sampling to the Monitoring Special Study Plan CY 2022–2023 Work Plan Monitoring Plan

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | August 16th, 2023

The interior southern Delta region of the San Francisco Estuary (SFE) has relatively higher seasonal-based salinity compared to other interior freshwater regions. Some of

The interior southern Delta region of the San Francisco Estuary (SFE) has relatively higher seasonal-based salinity compared to other interior freshwater regions. Some of this degradation in water quality in the interior southern Delta likely originates in upstream salt loading from agriculture drainage in the San Joaquin River prior to reaching the channels of Old River and Grant Line Canal. However, there is also measurable increases in salt loading within the channel networks of Old River at Head (OH1) east to lower Old River near Mountain House Creek (ORM) and the interconnected sloughs of Paradise and Sugar Cut in the region of Doughty Cut (in-Delta agriculture drainage), as well as other naturally occurring (i.e., groundwater) sources and other non-point and point sources. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), under the State Water Resources Control Board’s (State Water Board) Water Right Decision 1641 (D-1641), are assigned partial responsibility for meeting interior southern Delta water quality objectives each year at multiple compliance stations that measure specific conductance (EC) data continuously at 15-minute intervals.

Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program Annual Report 2023

California Department of Conservation (CDoC) | April 9th, 2024

The Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP) increases regional capacity for repurposing irrigated agricultural land to uses that reduce reliance on groundwat

The Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP) increases regional capacity for repurposing irrigated agricultural land to uses that reduce reliance on groundwater while providing community health, economic well-being, water supply, habitat, renewable energy, and climate benefits. The program provides funding for regional block grants, tribal grants, and a Statewide Support Entity to provide technical assistance to block grantees and support progress toward program goals.

Multiple lines of evidence point to pesticides as stressors affecting invertebrate communities in small streams in five United States regions

Science of the Total Environment (Elsevier) | January 24th, 2024

Multiscale Assessment of Agricultural Consumptive Water Use in California's Central Valley

American Geophysical Union (AGU) | May 4th, 2021

Municipal Stormwater Management Spending in California: Data Extraction, Compilation, and Analysis

Environmental Management (Springer) | March 23rd, 2022

Communities in the U.S. fund stormwater management programs to reduce flooding and improve and protect water quality. Few studies have attempted to quantify municipal sto

Communities in the U.S. fund stormwater management programs to reduce flooding and improve and protect water quality. Few studies have attempted to quantify municipal storwmater management expenditures. This task is important given efforts to meet increasing water quality standards and develop new revenue sources. The purpose of this study was to evaluate trends in municipal stormwater management expenditures across the state of California. The study identified and compiled publicly-available data on reported stormwater expenditures (spending) and budgets for local governments in California. Data were extracted from annual reports for over 160 public agencies. A standardized rubric of activities was developed and used to create a first-of-its-kind database of municipal stormwater budgets and expenditures. The results indicated that there is over $700 million in annual municipal stormwater spending, but this total does not represent all spending due to gaps in publicly-available data. Counties and flood control districts often have the largest total expenditures in a region, but in aggregate cities reported more spending statewide. Available data are not sufficient to adequately evaluate whether current spending meets regulatory requirements. Additionally, publicly-available data are inconsistent across geographic regions regulated by different agencies. The analysis offers a template for improved cost reporting of stormwater programs in U.S. municipalities, which can help answer key questions such as the sufficiency of current funding. Future research can use the method to evaluate spending in other states and regions, evaluate trends over time to improve outcomes, and refine the spending categories based on examples from other states. Click here for related post at UC Davis site California WaterBlog

National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Opinion for the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) | June 3rd, 2009

The purpose of this document is to present NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) biological and conference opinion (Opinion), about whether the U.S. Burea

The purpose of this document is to present NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) biological and conference opinion (Opinion), about whether the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s (Reclamation) proposed long-term operations of the Central Valley Project (CVP), operated in coordination with the State Water Project (SWP; hereafter referred to as CVP/SWP operations, the proposed action, or the project), is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the following species: Endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, hereafter referred to as winter-run) Threatened Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha, hereafter referred to as spring-run) Threatened Central Valley (CV) steelhead (O. mykiss) Threatened Central California Coast (CCC) steelhead (O. mykiss) Threatened Southern Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of North American green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris, hereafter referred to as Southern DPS of green sturgeon) Endangered Southern Resident killer whales (Orcinus orca, hereafter referred to as Southern Residents) or destroy or adversely modify the designated critical habitat of the above salmon and steelhead species, or proposed critical habitat for Southern DPS of green sturgeon. This Opinion is based on the best scientific and commercial information available.

Natural Resources Defense Council v. Kempthorne, Order Granting in Part and Denying in Part Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment

United States District Court, Eastern District of California | May 7th, 2007

This case concerns the effect on a threatened species of fish, the Delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) , of the coordinated operation of the federally managed Central

This case concerns the effect on a threatened species of fish, the Delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) , of the coordinated operation of the federally managed Central Valley Project ("CVP") and the State of California's State Water Project *2 ("SWP"), among the world's largest water diversion projects. Both projects divert large volumes of water from the California Bay (Sacramento - San Joaquin) Delta ("Delta") and use the Delta to store water.

Nearly a Million Californians Lack Access to Safe Drinking Water

State of California | July 26th, 2022

Our audit of the State Water Board’s efforts to help provide Californians with safe drinking water highlighted the following: More than 370 of the State’s water

Our audit of the State Water Board’s efforts to help provide Californians with safe drinking water highlighted the following: More than 370 of the State’s water systems, serving nearly a million Californians, exceed the maximum contaminant levels for substances that are harmful to human health. More than 150 of these systems have been failing for at least five years. Hundreds of additional water systems are currently at risk of failing. The State Water Board has not prioritized the processing of water systems’ funding applications so that the systems can improve their water quality. Over the past five years, the average length of time for water systems to complete their applications and receive funding nearly doubled, from 17 months to 33 months. The State Water Board has not established performance goals or metrics related to its cumbersome application process. Although the State Water Board provides water systems with technical assistance to plan their improvements and apply for funds, it has not adequately monitored the performance of the technical assistance providers with which it contracts. The State Water Board needs to better ensure that its staff and its contracted providers do not duplicate each other’s outreach efforts.

Necessity for Comprehensive Adjudication of Water Rights on the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers in Aid of the Central Valley Project

U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) | November 30th, 1942

New Stone Water District Groundwater Sustainability Plan

New Stone Water District (NSWD) | December 23rd, 2019

This GSP covers about 4,200 acres in the northwestern area of the basin that is adjacent to the Chowchilla Bypass covering the New Stone Water District Groundwater Sustai

This GSP covers about 4,200 acres in the northwestern area of the basin that is adjacent to the Chowchilla Bypass covering the New Stone Water District Groundwater Sustainability Agency. The NSWD GSA is coterminous with the New Stone Water District (NSWD or District) boundary. The District is predominantly agriculture and consists of two landowners. The New Stone Water District Groundwater Sustainability Agency was created on December 22, 2016.